How Muslim Greeting in Islam — Step by Step Guidelines

We, as Muslims have our own certain set of beliefs, which includes the exclusive way of greeting the other fellow believers. Muslims greet one another but actually they pray for one another. Muslims greeting is a pray actually.

Foundation of a Peaceful and Helpful Society:

To greet one another on meeting is a human nature. Humans greet when they meet. It is a basic human value, which is practiced by almost every nation. But Islam emphasizes too much on greeting one another as Muslim`s greeting is a pray. When we pray for one another, it creates a soft corner in other person`s heart. This becomes a fundamental for a good and positive relationship. This, in turn, creates a positive, progressive and helpful society.

Greeting in Nations Other Than Muslims:

When-ever two people meet, they have to greet each other. There are different ways of greeting between different people. Western people say “Hye or Hello” to greet one another. Hindus say “Namastay or Namaskaar”, Sikhs say “Sat sri akaal”, similarly other different nations has different ways of greeting one another.

Reward for Hereafter:

Greeting in Islam is important for another reason, as Islamic greeting is a pray, so it gives reward to both the persons. Many Ahadith declare substantial reward for the person who initiates in greeting. Similarly, the one who greets back in better way than the greeting, he is also given a substantial reward by Allah SWT.

The Islamic Greeting:

As we have discussed above that we, as Muslims, have our own belief system and greeting is one of its part.

Islamic greeting is Assalam o Alaikum, which means Peace be upon you. (تم پر سلامتی ہو).

Its long form is Assalam o Alaikum warahmatullahiwabarakaa tuuhu, which means, Peace and blessings of Allah be upon you and May Allah shower His bounties upon you.

Its pronunciation is Assalam o alai kum Wa rahmatullah i Wa bara kaa tuhu.

The response to Assalam o Alaikum is Waalaikum us Salam warahmatullah i wabara kaatuhu.

History of Islamic Greeting:

Islamic greeting Assalam o alaikum is derived from Arabic word Salaam, which means Peace. Islam and Salaam both words have the same root in Arabic.

This greeting style is very much familiar with the Hebrew expression “Shalom Aleikhem”. It also means peace be upon you. This Hebrew expression is used by Jews.

Islamic greeting expression has its roots in Quran and hadith. Allah Almighty ordered the believers to exchange greetings courteously with one another in Sura e Nisa. Similarly, its importance is expressed in many Ahadith.

Other Islamic Greetings:

Assalam o Alaikum is the main greeting in Islamic teachings. But there are some other words in Arabic that can be used for greeting according to Islamic teachings. Some of them are as follows;

Ahlan va Sahlan (اہلا و سھلا)

Marhaba (مرحبا)

Sabah A Khair (صباح الخیر)

Sabah Al Noor (صباح النور)

Ella Al-Liqa (الی اللقاؑ)

Masah Al Khair (مساح الخیر)

Greeting non-Muslims:

In a multiethnic society, people belong to different ethnic, and religious identities live together. They definitely have to meet and greet one another. If a non-Muslim greets a Muslim in friendly words, he should be greeted back in the same manner. According to some Islamic scholars, there is no harm in greeting a non-Muslim with Islamic greetings.

Greeting in Public and Private Spaces:

While meeting a single person privately or a few people, one has to greet every one separately. But when some-one is in a public place, he has to greet loudly, so that every-one would listen to it together.

Etiquettes of Greeting:

Islam is a complete code of life. So, it gives a complete set of instructions for greeting too. Some of these instructions are as follows.

• A younger person should take initiative in Salam to the elder one.
• A standing person should take initiative in Salam to the sitting one.
• A person on any ride should say Salam to the pedestrian
• A small group of people should take initiative in Salam to the large group of people.
• A man should shake hand for greeting with the men only.
• A woman should shake hand with another woman.
• Stranger men and women cannot shake a hand with one another for greeting.

Frequently Asked Questions About Salam:

Allah Almighty says in Sura tul Nissa

“When you are greeted with a salutation, then return it with a better one, or at least the same. Surely Allah takes good count of everything.

Hazrat Ans bin Malik RA reported that the messenger of Allah SAW said;

“As-Salaam (Peace) is one of the names of Allah Almighty, which Allah has placed in the earth. Therefore, give the greetings among yourselves”

The messenger of Allah said;

“Indeed, from among the signs of the last hour is that a man will not give the greeting of peace to another man unless he knows him”

Salam is very much important in creating harmony, peace and goodwill among the people of a society. It creates mutual harmony among the people of a society.

A younger should greet an elder one. A rider should greet the pedestrian and a smaller group of people should greet first to the large group of people.

Islamic greeting Assalam o alaikum is derived from Arabic word Salaam, which means Peace. Islam and Salaam both words have the same root in Arabic.

Conclusion:

Islam emphasizes too much on goodwill among the people of a society. Salam or Islamic greeting is a great way to create harmony and peace in a society. Salam is actually a prayer, which a Muslims give to another Muslim and in return receive the same pray, sometimes even better than that. QuranHost is an institute where we teach our students basic Islamic rules of life, moral values and etiquettes of a noble Muslim society. We offer Online Islamic Teachings course to make our students aware of basic Islamic teachings like greeting.

Originally published at https://www.quranhost.com on February 20, 2023.